ABSTRACT
With their attention to the oral area, dentists are in an excellent position not only to diagnose lip cancer, but also to counsel patients in its prevention. Patients need to be educated on the dangers of ultraviolet radiation and the measures available to decrease exposure to it. This article discusses the circumstances that increase the chance of developing lip cancer, the variety of ways to decrease that chance, and the recognition and treatment of premalignant and malignant lip lesions.
Subject(s)
Lip Neoplasms/diagnosis , Lip Neoplasms/prevention & control , Sunlight/adverse effects , Dentists , Humans , Lip Neoplasms/etiology , Patient Education as Topic , Role , Sunscreening Agents/adverse effectsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether any clinical or histopathologic variables are associated with the severity of epithelial change in lesions of actinic cheilitis. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 152 acceptable cases of actinic cheilitis were identified from 66,067 cases accessioned from February 1989 to June 1998. For each case, the clinical information supplied by the submitting practitioner at the time of the biopsy and 8 histopathologic variables were evaluated. RESULTS: The following 5 histopathologic variables were positively correlated with an increased degree of epithelial change: acanthosis, basophilic change within the connective tissue, the presence of inflammation within the connective tissue, perivascular inflammation, and thickness of the keratin layer. None of the clinical variables was associated with an increased degree of epithelial change. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of any of the aforementioned histopathologic changes should prompt a close evaluation of the lesion for the presence of either epithelial dysplasia or carcinoma.
